Garment with integrated stuffed toy for storage

ABSTRACT

Embodiments disclose a garment. The garment includes an exterior side comprised of a three-dimensional decorative feature, said feature adapted to be flexible so that the feature may be positioned to fully surround the remainder of the garment within an interior space of the positioned feature so formed, said feature comprised of a closure device that may be situated along its perimeter such that when the feature is positioned to fully enclose the remainder of the garment, the closure device can seal the garment within the interior space formed by the decorative feature.

PRIORITY

This patent application claims priority as a non-provisional continuation of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/989,952 filed on May 7, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The present invention relates generally to garments, and more particularly to a garment which integrates a stuffed toy adapted to store or stow the garment when not being worn.

BACKGROUND

Conventionally, some garments or clothing articles include embellishment. Typically, garments or clothing articles do not include as part of the item an integrated three-dimensional decorative feature that is a means for storing the garment when not in use.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved garment with an integrated three-dimensional decorative feature that is a means of storing the garment.

SUMMARY

In a first aspect, a garment is provided. The garment comprises an exterior side comprised of a three-dimensional decorative feature, the feature adapted to be flexible so that the feature may be positioned to fully surround the remainder of the garment within an interior space formed as a result of the positioned feature. The feature is further comprised of a closure device, which may be situated along its perimeter or along its surface such that when the feature is positioned to fully enclose the remainder of the garment, the closure device can seal the three dimensional feature with the garment in the interior space.

Still other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention may be readily apparent from the following detailed description by illustrating a number of example embodiments and implementations, including the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention. The present invention may also be capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details may be modified in various respects, all without departing from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. The invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the garment with the three-dimensional decorative feature.

FIG. 2 illustrates the insertion of the garment into the three-dimensional decorative feature.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up perspective view of the seam with the closure.

FIG. 4 illustrates another perspective view of the garment according to embodiments where the decorative feature is substantially flush with the garment.

FIG. 5 illustrates yet another perspective view of the garment according to embodiments where the garment is inserted into the decorative feature.

FIG. 6 illustrates a view of the garment according to embodiments with a longer seam.

FIG. 7 illustrates the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 whereby the closure occupies the perimeter of the decorative feature.

FIG. 8 a-c illustrates three cross-sections of the seam showing how the arrangement of the decorative feature operates to enclose the garment and permit the closure device to seal the seam.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention provide a garment and method for storing the garment. In particular, embodiments of the present invention may provide an externally visible three-dimensional decorative feature integrated onto the exterior surface of the garment that may be used to store the garment when not being worn. The three-dimensional feature may be in the shape of a toy animal. When the garment is worn by a user, the three-dimensional feature is attached to the garment such that the feature may be positioned substantially flush against the garment. In another embodiment, the feature may still have portions protruding away from the surface of the garment. Positioned along the interface of the three-dimensional feature and the garment may be situated a closure device, for example, a zipper. Advantageously, the garment may be stored in the three-dimensional feature when the garment is not being worn by the user. In some embodiments, when the garment is stored only the three-dimensional feature is visible.

These and other embodiments adapted to store a garment, and methods of operating the same are described below with reference to FIGS. 1-8. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Like reference numerals are used throughout the specification to denote like elements.

Referring now in specific details to FIGS. 1-8, a garment 100 in accordance with embodiments of the invention is shown. The terms “garment,” “clothing,” and “article of clothing” may be used interchangeably throughout the specification. While the garment shown herein is a long-sleeved shirt, any shirt, sweatshirt, jacket or any other article of clothing may be used. The garment 100 includes an exterior side 102, and a three-dimensional decorative feature 104. The three-dimensional feature 104 may be disposed at any suitable location on the exterior side 102.

In one or more embodiments, the three-dimensional feature 104 is a plush object. As shown herein, the three-dimensional feature 104 is a toy animal. Other suitable toys (e.g., boats, robots, flowers, dolls, monsters, etc.) may be used. In one or more embodiments, the three-dimensional decorative feature 104 is attached to, or integrated onto, the exterior side 102 of the garment 100. In one or more embodiments, the exterior side 102 of the garment 100 includes an attachment site 106, where the three-dimensional feature 104 is attached to (or extends from) the exterior side 102 of the garment 100. In one or more embodiments, the three-dimensional feature 104 may be attached to the exterior side 102 of the garment via any conventional attachment means (e.g., via stitching or adhering). In some embodiments, the three-dimensional feature 104 is integrally formed with the exterior side 102 of the garment 100. In some embodiments, when the three-dimensional feature 104 is attached to the exterior side 102, the three-dimensional feature 104 is positioned flush against the garment 100, FIG. 4.

In one or more embodiments, the three-dimensional decorative feature 104 includes an interior space 108 for storing the garment 100. In one or more embodiments, the three-dimensional feature 104 forms a pocket for storing the garment 100. In one or more embodiments, the three-dimensional feature is flexible to fully surround the garment 100 within the interior space 108 formed by manipulating the feature to enclose the garment. The interior space 108 may provide sufficient interior volume to accommodate the remainder of the garment 100 for storage. In some embodiments, the interior space 108 is lined with an additional material.

In some embodiments, the three-dimensional feature 104 includes a closure device 110. The closure device 110 is operative to seal the three-dimensional feature 104 after the garment 100 has been enclosed within the interior space 108. In some embodiments, the closure device 110 is situated, or extends, along an edge or perimeter of the three-dimensional feature 104 on the exterior side 102 of the garment 100. In some embodiments the closure device 110 extends substantially along an entire perimeter of the three-dimensional feature 104. See FIG. 7. In some embodiments, the closure device 110 extends along less than the entire perimeter of the three-dimensional feature 104. In one or more embodiments, the closure device 110 is positioned exterior to the attachment site 106, along an interface of the three-dimensional feature 104 and the garment 100. See FIG. 8. In some embodiments, the closure device 110 is positioned to lie substantially planar against the exterior side 102 of the garment 100 when the garment 100 is not enclosed within the interior space 108. The closure device 110 may be, for example, snaps, buttons, zippers, hook and loop tape, hooks and loops, and any other suitable closure devices.

In some embodiments, the attachment site 106 forms an unbroken base. In embodiments with the unbroken base, the unbroken base is sufficiently flexible to allow the remainder of the garment 100 to be folded onto the unbroken base and then inserted into the interior space 108 of the three-dimensional feature 104. In some embodiments, the unbroken base selectively detaches from at least one side of the attachment site 106 to fold into the interior space 108 when the remainder of the garment 100 is fully surrounded by the three-dimensional feature 104.

In use, the garment 100 is stored in the three-dimensional feature 104 by folding the garment 100 onto itself and inserting the remainder of the garment 100 into the interior space 108 of the three-dimensional feature 104. The three-dimensional feature 104 is not turned “inside out” prior to inserting the remainder of the garment therein. Once the garment is inserted, the closure device, 110, may be operated to seal the garment within the three-dimensional decorative feature. In one embodiment, the entire decorative feature is empty until the garment fills it in the stowage configuration. In another embodiment, the decorative feature may be partially filled before the garment fills the remaining interior space in the stowage configuration.

In yet another embodiment, the three dimensional feature has protrusions that may each have internal reinforcing material so that when the feature is displayed while the garment is worn, the shape of the protrusions is preserved. In yet another embodiment, the protrusions may be arms, legs, tails, snouts or other anatomical features that preferably maintain their shape even if the garment is deployed to be worn. Further, when the garment is stowed, the garment then need not be stuffed into these protrusions in order that the stuffed animal toy have a proper shape.

In the preferred embodiment, the closure device is a zipper. As shown in FIG. 8, the zipper mechanism lies between the fabric comprising the garment itself and the material forming the three dimensional decorative feature. In this embodiment, the zipper extends away from the surface where the fabric meets the material so that when the three dimensional feature is positioned to receive the garment into the interior space formed by the feature, the two sides of the zipper meet and establish the seam that closes the decorative feature.

The three dimensional decorative feature may be made of cloth or other fabrics. In other embodiments, the material comprising the decorative feature maybe stretch type fabrics, so that a flush decorative feature can be deformed in order to create the interior space for storing the garment. For example, the feature may be made of spandex, rubber or other similar types of elastic materials that when relaxed may be flush with the surface of the garment, but can be stretched in order to act as a storage device for the garment.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments and methods thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular apparatus, systems, or methods disclosed, but, to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A garment with an integrated decorative feature comprising: an exterior side comprised of a three-dimensional decorative feature, said feature shaped so that the feature may be positioned to fully surround the remainder of the garment within an interior space formed by the feature, said feature comprised of a closure device such that when the feature is positioned to fully enclose the remainder of the garment, the closure device can seal the garment within the interior space.
 2. The garment of claim 1 wherein the closure device is one of a zipper, a length of hook and loop tape, a set of snaps, a set of buttons, a set of hooks and loops.
 3. The garment of claim 1 wherein the three-dimensional feature is a plush toy.
 4. The garment of claim 3 wherein the plush toy is an animal.
 5. The garment of claim 1 where the three-dimensional decorative feature has its own shape irrespective of whether the garment is stored within it, said shape being comprised of the interior space.
 6. The garment of claim 1 where the closure device is located substantially along the perimeter of the decorative feature. 